Fortress Rabaul scenario - observations

[daveja vu]

I am currently playing Fortress Rabaul vs the AI, as the Allies. It is near the end of September 43, and the only activity is the constant shuttling of my supply convoys and some air transport, punctuated by the occasional CAP. Rabaul's air power has been completely decimated, I pretty much own the skies everywhere. Virtually all of Japan's merchant marine are serving as playground equipment for the fishies. The IJN has taken a fearful battering too - most of it's cruisers and destroyers now litter the bottom in various places, and Japan is now down to just a couple of fleet carriers (Shokaku and Junyo). Their battleship fleet is mostly untouched, but they seem unwilling to come down from Truk or Japan and share the fates of their smaller cousins.

I own most of New Guinea from Gili Gili up to Lae and Hopei (used it to land troops and marched to Lae), as well as Woodlark and Kiriwina. Will soon march on Finschafen and am considering the western tip of New Britain, if I get too bored. On the Solomon chain have completely kicked the Japanese out of the New Georgia area, have two fully operational airfields (Vila and Munda), and am building two more on Vella Lavella and Rendova. Next target will be Torokina on Bougainville, would make a nice place for B-25's escorted by F4U's (the best Zero killer I have) to keep Rabaul from rising from the dead. Probably won't bother with Buka, Buin, or Shortland - too many troops and not enough supplies for any of them to be an offensive threat.

How did I get this far? Constant attrition to Japanese aviation, primarily with P-38's. Lot's of fighter sweeps from Dodabura over Rabaul, and alternating B17/B24 raids from PM and Lunga. Put just enough LRCAP over convoys crossing the "Line of Death" (maximum Betty/Zero range from Gili Gili to Lunga) to attract airstrikes from Rabaul without discouraging them (too much CAP keeps them from attacking). Managed to decimate the Betty's that way. Once I built up Kiriwina to lv4 airbase stocked it with B25's and P47's. Used them on 100 ft. bombing and strafing missions on Rabaul and killed LOTS AND LOTS of planes on the ground. Did in 1 month what scores of heavy bomber raids couldn't do in six months. Also completely interdicted all Japanese shipping in the Bismarck Sea with Army skip-bombers, keeping Lae seriously pinched for supplies. The Japanese never seemed to learn that within B25/A20/Beaufighter/Beafort range, if it floated it soon sank.

Mentioned in an earlier thread how the Japanese uselessly sacrificed Zuikaku, Hiyo, Zuiho, and Ryuho trying to get Saratoga and Princeton (for the longest time my only carriers) covering a landing force at Munda. Came too close to SBD/TBF range of Russell Is. FINALLY got Hellcats on my two carriers and anxiously sailed them up to Rabaul to test them out on their CAP only to find them so decimated they didn't even want to fight! Disappointing. Pearl finally released Essex, Bunker Hill, Intrepid, and a few more CVL's so I may soon put together TF 58 and go pay a visit to Truk just for some entertainment.

Right now I'm giving most of my pilots, particularly my P38's (thanks, guys!) some much-needed R&R, and just rotating some less-experienced units for CAP. The only shipping I see anymore are AG's, which are getting quite boring to my pilots. Seems to be the only way they can keep their troops on Rabaul and Gasmata from starving. My only real difficulty is keeping bases supplied, and remembering to rotate the CAP's around. Even though the air situation is very well in hand (if anything with the Rising Sun flies, it dies), Rabaul has a nasty habit of getting up a few strike planes off their well-plastered airfields and hitting anything worthwhile (particularly convoys) that doesn't have air cover.

I'm starting to get bored. Don't have any worthy targets left to work up my new Hellcats with.

Anyone else playing the AI had typical experiences with this scenario? Anything out of the ordinary with the AI or play balance?

[Ike99]

It is near the end of September 43...Rabaul's air power has been completely decimated, I pretty much own the skies everywhere. Virtually all of Japan's merchant marine are serving as playground equipment for the fishies...Anyone else playing the AI had typical experiences with this scenario? Anything out of the ordinary with the AI or play balance?

No it´s not unusual for the AI I would say. By Sept 43´the Allies have total air superiority and will decimate any obvious shipping the Japanese try.

The only thing I would say the Japanese have with any chance of moving is fast transport and barges at this late date. a Japanese human player would use these tools and avoid giving the Allies easy targets such as transports to sink and rack up the points.

The AI will just keep sending the transports until it runs out of them.

[YUP]

Exactly